Annoy the opposing troper so that they quit the project; i.e. start sapping their SP. (You can't depend on a particular trope overlapping with player weakness, so it is not their primary function. On the other hand, if you happen to have such a trope, you will probably make every effort to keep it in play to eliminate the enemy troper)

So is the winning condition to get to a definite ending for your story?
I was thinking we could have ending tropes as the winning cards, but these cards would require you to have certain tropes on the field. The format would be

Name:

Cost:

Needs: (list of tropes that must be on the field for this card to play)

And (number) of these: (list of tropes you need a certain number to play the card)

This might add a very interesting dynamic to the card game, where the goal is to prevent the opposing player from building the elements needed to end the story while building elements for yourself. Also, there's the idea that the game could end at any time, but would probably take a while to reach that point.

If we're using multiple sliding scales, which might be fun, actually, Unexpected Genre Change would be a nice card to have (of course it would cost a lot), giving you somewhere from 5 to 10 points to divide amongst the scales as you see fit.

Aww, we lost the Sliding Scale? Can we at least make that an optional rule?

Arc cards were mentioned early in this thread, and the description of story objectives seems to be similar. So here's my idea.

At the start of the game, the players combine all the arc cards they wish to use into one pile and shuffle. The top card is turned over, and bot players race to attain the objectives described on it while preventing the other player from doing the same. When the objectives are complete, the player who completed the final one places that card next to their out of play zone and the next card is turned over. Then both players have to race to attain that arc.

When all the arc cards are used up, the player who has more of them wins. Thus, the game represents two writers, assisted by a team of tropers, collaborating on a story and each trying to make it go the way they want. The winner is the one who moved the story more in their favoured direction.

This does not preclude the idea of winning by causing you opponent to run out of story points. If a player runs out of story points, it represents them running out of steam and abandoning the story to the other, who can do what they like with it. This would also be the method by which the winner is determined if both players end up with equal numbers of arc cards.

I think where we go with the Arc Card mechanic really depends on how general we make the arc cards.

General

Only one Arc Card in play at once (from a standard set)

Both players compete to complete that arc

Specific

Each player brings their own set of arc cards relevant to their deck

Each player has one arc card in play at once, though both players can compete for the cards and a have a reasonable chance of success (probably biased towards the player who chose that arc)

Very Specific

The conditions on Arc Cards are so strict that you can't count on being able to complete a specific one of your own in a given game.

Each player has two Arc Cards in play at all times (and perhaps can trade out for another randomly-chosen arc card of theirs for some loss of cards or SP)

Players compete to ensure that their arc cards are finished, even if they aren't the ones who finish it.

The last is my personal favorite, because it allows you to try and manipulate your opponent into ending the story your way. Also, you could be faced with the tough choice of being able to make a powerful move that would also complete an opponent's arc.
We need to get out of the mindset that there are two opposing teams of characters fighting based on who controls them. While only you can use the active abilities of the tropes you play, their existence in the story (on the table) allows your opponent to use their presence to complete their objectives. Also, there is frequently some benefit to using your negative active abilities on your own tropes, so that you can satisfy the conditions of your arc.

I'd love to see a situation where one player needs to defeat The Dragon (who he happens to have played in the first place) in order to complete his arc, so the other player is using her tropes to protect an opponent's trope.

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.

A. I personally love the Sliding Scales. They are fairly easy to implement and are not essential to the game, so we are holding off on them till later. After all, unlike a published card game, we can easily go back and change cards after we add a new element to the game. Once we finalize the necessary mechanics, I'll be one of the first to try and implement the Sliding Scales.

B. Do we still have Genre strengths and weaknesses? Though I do enjoy mechanics like that in general, it doesn't really connect well to the current system.

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.

That could be quite interesting. Perhaps we expand "Easy, Medium, Hard" to other parts of the game. Obviously, cards would have a minimum difficulty level in which they could be played. After all, Weddings for Everyone would only work as an Arc Card in decks designed to reach that ending—hence, it would have "Hard" difficulty.
Once we finish the mechanics, Sliding Scale-based cards could fit in Medium+ or Hard. Arc cards could then have Sliding Scale requirements, such as Silliness 2, in order to complete.

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.

You have three Troper Cards. Only one is Active. The other two are face down. When a Troper is defeated, the next one comes into play, face up.

You have your Arc Cards which tell you what kind of "story" you are making. To win you have to complete the Arc's objectives. To do this you use Tropes. Whoever completes the last objective of an Arc wins that Arc. After all Arcs are completed, whoever has the most Arc Cards wins.

Tropers have SP (Story Points). SP is used for invoking Tropes. A Trope's SP goes back to the Troper at a rate of one per turn. When a Trope cannot return SP to the Troper, it is discarded. Tropes can remove SP from other Tropes. These SP do not return to the Troper. When a Troper runs out of SP, they are out of ideas and leave play. When all your Tropers are out of ideas, though you do not instantly lose, your opponent is probably guaranteed victory.

Difficulty:

Easy Mode is where there is only one Arc in play at a time. Both players compete to finish this Arc. This mode is for beginners.

Normal Mode is where both players have their own Arc Cards which they have to complete. Your opponent, however, can finish your Arcs, as you can theirs, so be careful. This mode is the regular mode of play.

Hard Mode is where both players have two Arc Cards each in play. Neither player is capable of completing their Arcs on their own. Thus, your opponent has to complete some parts of your Arcs, and you theirs. This mode requires the most skill.

Genre: These are sort of "Elements." Tropes that match the Genre of the Setting and Troper recieve benefits.

Troper Cards: Your main source of power. Tropers are capable of invoking Tropes. They also have special effects on Tropes of their Genre and favoured Tropes ("Fetish Fuel"). They are detrimented by hated Troped ("Nightmare Fuel").

Tropes:

Setting Cards: These are the setting of the story. They have an effect on all Tropes, and give bonuses to Tropes of the matching Genre.

Plot Cards: These are the main cards used for your Arc objectives. They have effects on other Cards that vary in effect and amount of turns in play (which is how much SP they recieve from the Troper).

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